To Stand with Like-minded People

These are the people for whom we must design our sound bites?!
What a sad freaking state of affairs.  Not one of them has more than a passing knowledge of the issues . . . not one can defend a statement, not one knows anything about government, and every one turns to god for answers.

Great.  FN great.           From NewLeftMedia

Josh Olsen and The Bilerico Project set us straight (a great read)

In it's entirety from the Bilerico Project and Josh Olsen -- an openly straight man living and writing in Los Angeles, CA.  If you have about 20 minutes, read the whole thing.  It's worth it.

"Seriously, folks, the world's a mess. We have so many real issues facing us right now, so many problems that really do threaten to eradicate not just our way of life, but life itself, that piddling around with crap like this is starting to feel not just self-indulgent, but suicidal.
It is deeply and profoundly important that we recognize how absurd this situation is, and get over it as soon as possible. The world is harsh and mean and ugly enough that anyone who devotes one single solitary erg of energy towards making it harder for two people to love each other needs to be labeled as exactly what they are: A hatemonger.
This piece ran on CNN's blog a few days ago, and it struck me as quintessential in its quiet, casual ugliness. It's a piece by a Bishop Harry Jackson, a Christian pastor from Maryland, who's also African American. He makes just about every argument that the opponents of civil rights always make on the subject, and because it struck me so hard today, I'm going to dissect this bigot's words line by line and explain to anyone out there who's unsure exactly how demented, ugly and vicious this campaign is.
Let's dig in:

The Plastic Bag in it's natural habitat . . . :)

New news is good news for NYC streets or Get those SUVs out of here

Left turns, male drivers, and darkest mid-winter are the most dangerous for pedestrians in NYC, but our city is getting MUCH safer for those of us who don't choose to tackle the grid in a car.  Pedestrian deaths down a shocking 20% since 2001, and a promise from transportation czar (yes) Janette Sadik-Kahn to remove even more parking in favor of bike lanes and broader visibility.  A breakdown of serious accidents (and another reason to implement congestion pricing):

• 79% involved private passenger cars 
• (huge fucking numbers gap here)
• 13% taxis or livery cars
• 4% trucks
• 3% buses

The last three on the list would not be subject to congestion pricing . . . not forced to pay to drive onto Manhattan, and doesn't it follow logically that we would reduce pedestrian death while raising millions and cleaning the city's air?  God, I wish it would happen.  Full Report HERE.

Just plain hilarious

NYC MTA gets new train set.

The last of the new R160 subway cars is unloaded and ready to be put into service in the NYC subways.

"Transit officials have spoken glowingly of the new cars as they now average approximately 370,000 miles between mechanical failures. “A lot of work went into the development of the R160 fleet and these cars have allowed us to retire hundreds of subway cars that first entered service in the mid to late 1960s, Carmen Bianco, senior vice president of the Department of Subways, said. “These cars are state-of-the-art, and designed to provide customers with far more information and comfort than older models and they are designed to last at least through mid century.”  Full story HERE

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Reason number 349 why marriage is a right.

Thank You For Your Call from Shawn Nee / discarted on Vimeo.

Rob rocks another great video

Hey O, can we fix this?

The future of the MTA sits on Albany's Shoulders

Unfortunately, Albany's already shriveled and useless shoulders are currently tilting ever earthward as she tries harder daily to shove her head up her own ass.

The basics:  

• No transit system relies on ridership for funding . . . they all need subsidy, and it's worth it because transit systems add immeasurably to the city's prosperity and growth.
• The MTA relies on local property taxes which are unreliable (in recent years have plummeted 75%)
• Albany consistently denies funding the MTA can depend on, leaving the agency to plan on an uncertain future budget.
• Other transit systems (like Paris') have fail-safes, if the taxation that feeds the coffers of the system fails, local governments are REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW to make up the difference.
• The answer, in the mind of every wise and informed person, is CONGESTION PRICING.  A small fee to drive a private car into Manhattan on weekdays (exemptions for business, taxis, etc.).  This alone would diminish traffic, clean the air, and create the equivalent of roughly DOUBLE what the MTA got from it's property tax subsidy this year.

In closing, congestion pricing is a no-brainer -- but then again, so is Albany who has struck down every attempt to implement it in recent years.  Because they all love to take their towncars and SUVs over our beautiful bridges and through our historical tunnels to park all over the place, visit our museums, eat at our cafes, idle endlessly, and marvel at "how anyone could really LIVE here."  

This just in: Driving is not exercise.

In what can only be described as a jaw-droppingly disappointing recent study, experts have found that the more dependent on the automobile you are, the greater the likelihood that you're a fatty.  Huh!  What's next?  Butter is delicious?  This is madness, and can most assuredly be linked to the failed policies of the First Lady, Michelle Obama.  I can't take it, I'd go water my plants, but I'm sure some expert will tell me that that will help them grow.  HERE's the original story from Streetsblog.  Bike lanes, anyone?

This guy deserves a parade.

Cabin pressure has taken on a new meaning in the post-9/11 world of increased "security" measures, protracted wait-times, and some say Draconian cut-backs in service.  Enter Steven Slater, disgruntled flight attendant, and Grand Wizard of Dramatic Exits, who after dealing with a classless tool on a recent flight arriving at JFK, ranted over the PA, and then deployed an emergency slide, slid down to freedom and then ran to the parking lot and drove home.  Kudos.  Of course, he was later arrested, and the passenger who pushed him over the edge by breaking regulations in the cabin is, I assume, scott free.  Full NYT story HERE